Deve Gowda: Not going to retire; will be by Rahul's side when he becomes PM

New Delhi:Former prime minister and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda has said that unlike BJP veteran LK Advani, he is not going to retire from active politics, and that if Rahul Gandhi becomes the Prime Minister of the country, he will be by his side.

Talking about his decision to contest the Lok Sabha polls, Deve Gowda said, "I announced three years back that I will not contest elections. There are circumstances now in which I have been forced to contest. There is nothing to hide. I have no ambition of anything but what I always said is that I am not going to retire from active politics."

Deve Gowda is contesting from Karnataka's Tumkur parliamentary constituency against GS Basvaraj of BJP.

Also Read | Rahul calls NYAY scheme a 'surgical strike on poverty'

When asked if he wants to retire like Advani, he replied with an emphatic 'no', adding, "I want to save my party first and last the office building."

Commenting on his son and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's statement that there is a possibility that Deve Gowda might become the Prime Minister as a consensus candidate, he said: "I am not bothered about this. My concern is Modi will come to Parliament. I have got the guts and conviction to tell it to the face of the PM. I have the courage. If Rahul Gandhi becomes the Prime Minister, I will sit by his side. It is not necessary to become the Prime Minister."

Also Read | Rahul Gandhi: PM failed to fulfil promises

Responding to accusations of saving the family rather than the party, the JD(S) chief said: "Several leaders who worked with me collectively, have left. Some people are in Congress, some in BJP. I was able to keep the party intact but suffered. I have not allowed my family members to become president of the party

• #Prime Minister
• #JDS
• #LK Advani
• #Rahul Gandhi
• #Congress
• #Politics
• #Lok Sabha elections
• #elections